


Transfer Request

by WintersCaptain



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Hotch Glare, i'm not even sorry, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:48:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23942605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WintersCaptain/pseuds/WintersCaptain
Summary: Asking for a unit transfer form doesn't quite go as planned.
Relationships: Aaron Hotchner/Reader
Comments: 16
Kudos: 293





	1. Part One

Y/N knocks on the door to Aaron’s office and pokes her head in, just like she did yesterday and the day before that and the day before that.

“Got a minute?”

Hotch looks up from his report and beckons her in with one of those smiles that couldn’t be considered a smile if it was anyone else. She closes the door behind her and steps inside.

He sets his pen down and leans forward across his desk, lacing his fingers, giving her his full attention. “What can I do for you, my love?”

The endearment brings a small smile to her face. The end of the day was their favorite, whether in the office or in the field. They could actually be themselves, or as close as they could be away from home. “Do you have a unit transfer request form in that massive desk of yours?” She approaches the desk in question and sits across from him, planting her elbow on the polished surface with her chin in her palm.

The lightness drops out of his face. “For whom?”

She huffs a laugh, missing the shift in his mood. “For me. If we’re finally going to tell Strauss, I’ll need to transfer to another unit. It’s better than living under a microscope and being at risk for conduct hearings every other week.”

He’s quiet. Too quiet. The smile falls from her face.

“Aaron?” She reaches for one of his hands. He leans back and crosses his arms.

He’s out of her reach.

“You’re requesting a transfer.” It isn’t a question. His dark eyes are flinty under the shadow of his furrowed brow. For the first time in years, she’s almost afraid of his severity.

“We knew this was on the table, right?” She searches for the warmth she knows and loves, but comes up short.

The muscle in his jaw flexes, and she sits back. “There’s nothing you wanted more than the BAU,” he says. “You told me that once.”

“Well, it was true...once.” It was safe to say her priorities had shifted in her years with the BAU and her nearly-two years with Aaron. “Being a profiler is not as important to me as it used to be. There are more important things, people in my life now.” _You. Jack._

“You are leaving the BAU.” His voice is dangerously quiet. “You’re giving up your profiling career? For what?”

She takes a deep breath and stands, resisting the urge to pace. “For you, Aaron. I’m leaving the BAU because you, Jack, and this family are the most important parts of my life.”

“I can’t let you do that.”

“You can’t _let_ me do that?”

He heaves a sigh and presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose. “I’ll rephrase. I cannot co-sign your departure from your chosen career path for my benefit.”

She rolls her eyes. “Right, _counselor,_ because it’s only for your benefit. Because everything I do is for _you!_ ” She can’t help but raise her voice.

He shoots out of his chair and slams his hands into the desk in a rare show of frustration. “You cannot give up the BAU for me.”

“It’s my choice, Aaron. I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation.” She throws her blazer on the back of the chair, suddenly feeling overheated and shaken. She rolls up her sleeves and begins to pace.

He watches her, his face impassive.

“I decided over a year ago that I would have to choose between you or the BAU. I know that. I _knew_ that. _I’ve_ made peace with it.” She’s still louder than she should be, considering the lack of soundproofing and the open blinds, but she can’t bring herself to care.

His jaw tightens again. This end of the Hotch Glare isn’t any more pleasant than it was years ago.

“Guess what, _Aaron_? I choose you,” she continues, nearly at a shout. “I choose you and Jack. Every. Single. Time. If you want me to pick the BAU over staying with you,” she throws her hands up, “then we need to take this conversation home and really talk about it.” A spike of fear strikes through her chest. _Please don’t end this. Don’t do this to me._

Her outburst lingers in the air, and her lip disappears between her teeth. _Don’t cry. Don’t cry._

+++

Derek and Emily have put money on the outcome of the visible disagreement. Emily has $150 on an engagement. Derek has $50 on an impasse and a week’s worth of snide remarks. They can hear and see _everything_ from downstairs.

"I hate it when mommy and daddy fight," Penelope says, forlorn. Derek wraps an arm around her. 

Spencer returns from the break room holding trail mix. He wordlessly offers it to JJ, who waves him off in favor of her secret desk stash of Bugles. Emily jams a hand into the trail mix bag and shoves a handful into her mouth, her eyes never leaving the window. 

JJ extends her arm, and Derek absconds with a handful of Bugles before she clutches the bag to her chest once more. 

+++

Hotch sighs, pulling a hand down his face. He acknowledged the inevitability of her transfer months ago and refused to accept it. The thought of working without her makes his head hurt.

He isn’t angry at her - really. The anxiety of losing her in the field. The knowledge that she’s _the one._ The fear of repeating the mistakes he made with Haley _._ It ignites something defensive and hot in him. _It's not her fault._

When he finally speaks again, his voice is gentle - apologetic. “There’s no need for that.”

His eyes soften as he walks around his desk and takes her face in his hands, acutely aware that the entire team is watching them from the bullpen. She melts almost immediately and leans into him, her hands instinctively winding around his waist under his blazer.

_Let them see. I don’t care._

“I’m sorry.” She can feel his breath in her hair, and the warmth drops into her, soothing her anger and hurt.

“I forgive you.” After a moment, “I’m sorry, too.”

“What are _you_ sorry for?” There's a hint of amusement in his voice, and it makes her smile. 

“I raised my voice at you. We said we wouldn’t do that.”

He kisses the crown of her head and she knows that she’s forgiven. He gently pushes her back to meet her eyes. “I’ll sign the transfer form on one condition.”

Brow furrowed, she looks back at him.

He steps back to sit back at his desk and flips through the file folders in one of the drawers. “You said, during your...impassioned speech that you’ll always choose Jack and me.”

“Yeah, of course.”

He slips the piece of paper onto his desk. “I didn’t want to do this here, but considering the entire team is eavesdropping and spying on us anyway –“ they both look down into the bullpen, and the team, all huddled around JJ’s desk, plead 'not guilty' to the unheard charge by swiftly averting their eyes.

“Now seems as good a time as any.” He slips his hand into his jacket pocket and then tucks it behind his back. The entire team trains their eyes back to the window, very nearly climbing over each other as they try to see inside. JJ and Emily share a knowing look over Spencer's head. 

Y/N steps forward, feeling suddenly and uncomfortably hot again. She shakes her head with a small, disbelieving laugh. “What’s in your hand, Aaron?”

He places a ring on top of the transfer form and slides it toward her.

She takes a trembling breath. “Do you always carry a ring in your pocket, or is this a special occasion?”

“Well…I purchased it with Emily and JJ’s help about a year ago, and I carry it with me everywhere.” He looks at her, and she can see the smile in his eyes. “Why do you think I never let you take my dry cleaning?” He smiles for real this time. "I never let you keep your gun -"

" – In the gun safe." Realization dawns on her face. 

"In the gun safe." 

"You kept that ring in the gun safe overnight. Every night." 

He nods. 

_Oh my god. He's so uptight and I love him_ so _much._

As Aaron walks around his desk, he subtly palms the ring off its surface, keeping it tucked in his hand. He crosses to her, coming to rest by her side. She faces him and belatedly realizes she’s crying, with her hands over her mouth.

“I know you’re not one for tradition –“

“ – and your knee is still bruised," she says, laughing through her tears. 

Chuckling, he brushes tears away from her cheeks. “And my knee is still bruised. So I’ll ask you from right here.” He raises the ring between them. “You have brought life and fun into our lives and our home. You’ve been a mother and friend to Jack when he needed one, loving him like your own son without reservation or hesitation. We’re not always easy to love, but you do it so well.”

Y/N reaches up, carding her fingers through the hair at his temples. He leans into her touch and they look at each other fondly for a moment. Her fingers find the nape of his neck, still playing with his hair. He pulls her flush against him by the small of her back, the ring sparkling between them.

“Marry me?”


	2. Part Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath.

They laugh and laugh through their kisses. They can’t get much closer, at least with all these clothes on – something they will remedy immediately upon returning home. Her body is bowed entirely into him, supported only by his hand between her shoulders and the other, splayed over her lower back and hip.

Aaron’s face is in her hands, and he can feel the cold platinum warming against their skin. He kisses her like a man drowned, incandescently happy and altogether relieved.

_Jack will be over the moon._

She pulls back for a moment and presses her forehead against his.

“I love you.” _That doesn’t even begin to cover it._

He laughs and brushes some hair away from her face. “I love you too.”

She looks over his shoulder. The team has abandoned their snacks and stationed themselves at the bottom of the stairs. Her bottom lip disappears between her teeth.

“We have a rapt audience.”

He follows her gaze, taking her with him as he turns. He sighs and drops his head to her shoulder. “Do we have to go out there?”

Y/N brings both hands to his hair, holding him against her. “That depends.”

“On?”

“On whether or not you’d like to go home anytime soon,” she says with a laugh. He groans and only tightens his hold on her waist.

She cards her fingers through his hair again, admiring her new adornment.

It’s stunning, with both vintage and contemporary detailing. It’s very _her._

“Aaron?”

“Hmm?”

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

He raises his head and looks at her. He presses a kiss to her temple, inhaling deeply. “Anything, for you.”

+++

When they finally leave the office, they’re met with a chorus of whoops and hollers. Hotch swears he sees money change hands, but that’s nothing new.

Y/N flies down the stairs and into the waiting arms of the girls. They grab her left hand and huddle around it to get a better look at the ring.

She kisses JJ and Emily on the cheek and whispers quiet thanks to the both of them.

“I just _knew_ it would look great on you!” JJ gushes, Y/N’s fingers still resting in Emily’s palm. Penelope is in tears, doing her best to keep it together as she incoherently sobs her congratulations.

Rossi had kissed Aaron on both cheeks before he could reach the bottom of the stairs. Derek wraps him in a hug from the front. Spencer stands a little behind him, and slips a piece of scrap paper into his pocket. 

Hotch can’t help but revel in the joy, laughing along with his team.

They had never seen him like this. He looks alive. He lets the joy wash over his face.

“Careful, Hotch,” Derek says, a hand firmly on Aaron’s shoulder. “You keep smilin’ like that your face might get stuck that way.”

Aaron’s smile drops and he restores his normal severity. When he’s sure Derek’s sweating, he laughs again, clapping his dear friend on the shoulder. “Not a chance, Morgan.”

Emily comes between them, and Aaron doesn’t quite know what to do. She pounces into his arms, and he hugs her tight, pressing his face into her shoulder. He’s not sure if he thanks her out loud or not, but she kisses his cheek and tells him she’s proud of him anyway.

“Thank you.” _For everything._

She looks up at him, shrugging. “You and JJ fake my death, JJ and I find you the perfect engagement ring. I think we’re even now.”

He smiles back at her, opening his mouth to speak again.

“Don’t bother, Hotch. A simple ‘you were right’ will suffice.”

He huffs and recites, “You were right, Emily.”

She grins - a stunning, breathtaking phenomenon. 

Y/N reaches for Aaron, and he pulls her into his side. They accept the rest of the congratulatory affection as a unit.

“Alright!” Rossi draws the attention of the entire team. “As much as we love our lovebirds,” he looks pointedly at Y/N and Aaron, “I’m sure they’d like to get home and _celebrate_ on their own.”

A blush creeps up on Y/N’s face.

Aaron rolls his eyes. “We’ll see you all tomorrow.”

“But wait –“ JJ steps around Emily with a concerned tilt of her head. “Is Y/N transferring units?”

“It looks that way,” says Aaron, “but we will submit the paperwork to Strauss in the morning, and she will have final say. The process will take a week at least, and if we pick up any cases between now and then,” he looks at Y/N, and she meets his gaze with a soft set of eyes, “Y/N will stay with the BAU until our work is done.”

+++

The house is quiet when they finally get home. Jessica is in the kitchen and immediately clocks the ring. She embraces them both.

“Congratulations. I love you both so much.”

“Thank you,” Aaron says. “This can’t be easy.”

Jess pulls back and shakes her head. “Haley’s my sister, but she wouldn’t want you to _ever_ be unhappy.” She grasps Y/N’s hand in both of her own. “You’re my family too. Don’t you forget that.”

Y/N wraps Jess in a hug. “Thank you.”

While they embrace, Aaron pulls Spencer’s note out of his pocket.

**Your odds are stronger than they’ve ever been.**

Aaron’s lips tip up in a smile, and he puts the note back in his pocket.

Jess leaves a few minutes later, shutting the door quietly behind her.

They’re alone.

Y/N startles a little as Aaron wraps his arms around her, devoid of his jacket and tie. “Ready for bed?”

She turns quickly in his arms, knotting her hands in his thick hair and pressing her mouth to his. He moans into her mouth and lifts her. Her legs wind around his waist immediately, and he blindly carries her to the bedroom, suddenly thankful he’s lived in this house so long.

They reach the bed, and he throws her into the pillows. They’ve already managed to get his shirt off, and they lost her shoes somewhere in the hallway. They fumble as they finish undressing each other, quiet laughter and adrenaline making their hands shake.

+++

Thoroughly sated, she rests in the circle of his arms. They’re both still a little out of breath, sweaty and flushed, but can’t bring themselves to separate. They breathe together for a few minutes, both close to sleep.

“Hey, Aaron?”

“Hmm?”

She smiles into his chest, devious. “It’s probably a good thing we probably won’t be working together much longer.”

“Oh?” He mumbles, rolling over to curl his body around hers. “Why’s that?”

She sighs, wiggling against him _just enough_ and settling her back against his chest _._ “I’ve been having a terrible time keeping my hands to myself in the field.”

He shifts, lining himself up against her wet heat again. His voice remains admirably steady as she rocks back against him, just out of reach. “Is that so?”

“Mhmm.” She can’t help feeling a little breathless as he slips between her thighs. “I can’t stop picturing my unit chief under that suit and –“ she gasps and arches her back as he enters her. She throws her arm back and holds onto his hair for dear life. He sets a relentless pace. “He looks – _fuck_ – unbearably hot giving orders and – _ah –_ looking down the sight of his firearm – _god, Aaron_ – and behind that desk _._ ”

He locks her in an iron grip as she writhes against him. “Tell me.”

She’s hardly coherent as she mentions something about being bent over the desk or fucked senseless against the wall of a hotel room. He pounds into her, reaching his hand around to circle her clit. He sinks his teeth into her shoulder as he cums inside her with a strangled groan. She follows right after, pressing a hand over her own mouth to keep from crying out.

They both whimper at the sensation of him pulling out of her. She misses the feeling of him immediately, but realizes with a sigh she can spend _the rest of her life_ in his arms if she wanted to.

He moves her hair, damp with sweat, and kisses the back of her neck. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”

She laughs, stretching in his arms. “Mhmm. How you manage to look me in the eye at work after fucking me like that will remain a mystery to me as long as I live.” 

“It’s a lot harder when I’ve got soundbites like _that_ running through my head all day.”

She turns in his arms and slings a leg over his hip. “Well, my love,” she kisses him, slow and dirty, and speaks against his mouth. “You just shoot straight and keep coming home to me and we’ll do just fine.”

“I wish I could ask you to marry me again, just for that,” he says, his mouth still pressed against hers. He rolls onto his back. They land with her left hand resting against his chest, the diamonds in her ring glinting in the faint light from the window. He reluctantly pulls away from her.

“Who’s stopping you?”

His smile is bright in the darkness of the room. “Marry me?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks to tumblr user stxrry-ixn for requesting a follow-up to the first part! i had so much fun writing it. if anyone is interested in continuing it further, please let me know! i've grown rather attached to this one. 
> 
> as always, tell me what you think or drop a kudos. i love to hear from you :)
> 
> xo,   
> Tali


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The hearing and result.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one is still sticking with me! i'd be open to more parts if there's interest. this has a lil bit of smut in it, so if you're not 18, skip out after the fade-to-black-cue sentence. nothing plot-related happens after that :)

Y/N’s nerves settle as Aaron steps out of the assistant director’s office, closes the door behind him, and flashes her a soothing smile. He offers YN a hand. She takes it and rise, ready for her portion of the evaluation. 

“I’m going to get Jack from school, and we’ll be waiting for you when you get home.” 

She hums, and squeezes his hand. Her heart’s been racing all morning, and she’s barely been able to focus on the consults piling up on her desk. _Didn’t people have better things to do than hurt women in their free time?_

Sensing her anxiety, Aaron leans close to her ear and she suppresses a shiver. “I warmed them up for you. You’ll be great.” He presses a quick, casual kiss to her temple. “It’s just a formality – they know everything they need to.” 

He releases her as their interim section chief opens the door. So much had happened in the four months between the transfer request and the hearing to address it. The most extreme of which were the death of Erin Strauss and their recent move to the newly-purchased house on the river between Quantico and D.C. It had been hectic, but they were happy to finally know whether Y/N would stay with their work family or not. 

When she steps in and sits down, the assistant director looks friendly, albeit tired. 

“Good afternoon, Agent.” The director flips a page on his legal pad, and she catches Aaron’s name among his notes. 

“Good afternoon, sir. Good afternoon, Chief Leon.” She acknowledges both men with a smile. The interim chief is new to Quantico, but comes well-recommended. 

“Thank you so much for coming in with your consult list so long. It is appreciated.” 

_Not that I had a choice._ “No problem, sir. I’m excited to get things settled after...everything.” 

“That makes two of us,” Chief Leon says. “Your fortitude and professionalism do not go unnoticed, and I’ve appreciated your welcome as I’ve settled into the interim role.” 

She’s not sure, but it sounds like he put a little too much emphasis on _interim_. Letting it go, she reminds herself that she’s not here to profile but rather to discuss a rapidly-approaching marriage to one Agent Aaron Hotchner. “I’m so glad, sir. I think I can speak for the team when I say the BAU is proud to be under your leadership, no matter how temporary or permanent.” 

The assistant director finally finds his footing in his notes and looks up. “Alright, to the situation at hand. How long have you been in a relationship with Agent Hotchner?” 

Over breakfast that morning, she and Aaron had bounced their answers off each other, just to make sure everything was lined up for the bureaucratic nightmare that was a formal hearing. “Just over two years, now.” 

“Did you disclose your relationship at the time of its inception?” 

“No, sir.” It hurt to admit the flagrant policy violation, but it seemed reasonable at the time. 

“You are aware that this is not bureau policy, especially seeing as Agent Hotchner is your unit chief.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

There’s a pause, and the two men look at each other. Interim Chief Leon takes over. “Because we have evidence that your conduct in the field remained unaffected, we have decided to overlook that policy violation. Your team has also advocated for you – Agent Morgan specifically remarking on your,” he checks his notes, “admirable dedication to the team and the support you offer to your unit and unit chief in high-intensity field operations. Agent Jareau spoke of your compassion and patience with the families of victims, and Dr. Reid emphasized the importance of your skillset with children and adolescent psychology. Agent Prentiss also complimented your cohesive work style and support of your unit chief, even in disagreements. Your team is very loyal, and you should be very proud.”

“Thank you, sir.” The tone and company in the room require short and simple answers, but she so wants to defend her decision to maintain the privacy of their relationship. She laces her hands in her lap to keep from fidgeting. 

“I am continually impressed with the results of the BAU’s fieldwork, and desire to disrupt the team as little as possible so you may continue your high-performance in the field.” The assistant director’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

“Thank you, sir.” 

“You are to remain on assignment with the BAU until the re-evaluation of your contract in...” He checks the copy of your contract underneath his legal pad. “three years and four months.” 

_Remain on assignment?_ “Thank you, sir.”

Everyone stands, then, and she shakes hands with both men before leaving the assistant director’s office. 

_If I’m staying, and Aaron didn’t say anything about leaving, then who’s flying the plane?_

+++

When she steps into the house, she can hear Aaron and Jack playing video games in the playroom. The sun had yet to set, and she revels in the rare opportunity to share daylight with her family. 

Y/N leans against the doorframe as Jack continues to slaughter Aaron in Mario Kart. They’re both sitting cross-legged on the floor, holding the same posture right down to the slight tilt of their heads to the left. 

They still don’t notice her after about ten minutes, so she flops down and stretches her torso across Aaron’s lap so her head falls into Jack’s. Jack’s little hands immediately fall into her hair, fingers tangling in whatever he can find.

Aaron lets the controller drop to the floor and stretches his hands to cover a broad swath of her abdomen. His fingers reach from her hip to just under the underwire of her bra. 

“What kind of trouble are you getting up to in here?” 

Jack giggles and she smiles up at him. He’s upside down from this angle, but he’s still the cutest boy in the world. 

“Daddy sucks at Mario Kart.”

Aaron’s hair flops into his eyes as he releases her and reaches over you to tickle Jack. “Hey!” 

Y/N laughs and rolls over onto the floor, snatching Jack away from his father by the waist. “C’mon Jack! Run!” 

Jack grabs her hands and they run down the hallway, Aaron hot on their heels. Both she and Jack are crying with laughter at this point, and she stumbles as they turn into the living room, slipping on the hardwood in her socks. 

Aaron takes advantage of her momentary weakness and pounces, caging her in his arms as he tackles her to the couch. Jack jumps on the both of them, and they rest there for a moment, Aaron half on-top of her with her head pillowed on his arm and Jack clinging to Aaron’s back. 

The huge couch was a good investment. 

“Hey, Y/N, wanna know something cool?” Jack’s little head tips up and she brushes some caramel hair out of his eyes. It seems to get darker by the day.  
He needs a haircut. “Always! You know how much I love cool stuff.” 

“Dad said he got a new job and that he doesn’t have to go away so much and he’ll pick me up from Aunt Jessica’s every night before dinner.” 

She raises her eyebrows and brings a hand to Aaron’s hair. His head is burrowed in her shoulder, absolutely hiding from her prying gaze. “Oh?” 

“He also said he and Uncle Dave would help coach my soccer team and I said you can do that now because you have a ring like the other moms.” 

That draws a smile from her, and she pulls both of her Hotchner boys close, squeezing them and kissing their heads. “Let’s get dinner on, my loves.” 

+++

When Aaron tucks Jack into bed that night, she hangs back at the door.  
There is nothing quite like watching Aaron with Jack. They’re like different-sized versions of the same person, though there is a good deal of Haley in him. His smile, especially – wide and friendly – reminds Y/N of her often. The framed photos around the house are the strongest recollections of her. Y/N's favorite sits on the mantle with a dried rose from the funeral. It was the first thing she and Aaron unpacked, and Aaron spent many minutes standing before it, barefoot, with her tucked under his arm. 

_“Do you think she would be happy?” Y/N had asked._

_He nodded, wordlessly. “She told me she was when I coded in surgery last year.”_

_She looked up at him, swallowing thickly when she remembered how close they were to losing him._

_Aaron snorted, changing the tone. “She also told me I’d be a fool and an idiot to let you go. She wasn’t surprised when I told her I already knew that.” He adopts her countenance for a moment, imitating her. “Well of course you know, Aaron. Knowing and doing are two very different things.”_

Y/N greets that picture every time she walks into the house. Haley, Jack, and Aaron from a decade ago smile back at her. It was their first picture taken as a family: Jack was barely three months old. The newest family photo sits beside it, Y/N’s eight-week (and most recent) ultrasound photo stuck haphazardly into the frame. 

As Aaron leans up, she crosses to Jack’s bedside and kneels. The boy reaches for her, and she gathers him into a hug. “How much do I love you, my Jack?” 

“More than the whole world,” he says, rote. She had shared that exchange with him long before she and Aaron started seeing each other, and they found it silly to stop now. 

She breathes him in, kissing his temple and tucking him back in. 

When she and Aaron finally rise and turn the light off, Jack is nearly asleep. 

Safe within the confines of the bedroom they share, she raises her eyebrows at Aaron as she removes her shirt to change into pajamas. His eyes catch on her lace-clad chest and she takes the opportunity to change the subject.  
“New job?” 

He huffs and flops on the bed, his shirt only half-unbuttoned, belt in-hand and slacks unzipped. “I didn’t expect him to spring that on you.” 

She sits on the opposite edge of the bed and slips her pants off, leaving her only in your matching “I’m going into a scary meeting” set of underwear. Today may have been the last day she could wear them for a while.  
She leans back, landing next to him and carding her fingers through his hair.

“You didn’t answer my question.” 

“They offered me the section chief position,” he mumbles into the comforter. 

“Aaron! That’s huge!” She shoves at his shoulder and he groans, rolling on his side. She’s almost distracted by the adoring, soft look in his eyes. “Are you going to take it?” 

“I asked for the week to decide, but it was just a formality. It’s time, I think, to be home with Jack more.” He reaches up, taking her chin between his thumb and forefinger. “And I wanted to keep you on the team.” 

She rolls her eyes good-naturedly. 

“The pay increase certainly doesn’t hurt, either,” he adds with a laugh. 

She makes herself busy with the remaining buttons on his shirt, and ruck up the tails from his slacks. “Do you get to keep your office? Who’s the new unit chief?” 

He laughs again. _So many questions._ “No, Emily gets my office as the new unit chief under my recommendation. But I get to keep the furniture.” 

“Emily?!” Her rapid blush overrides the excitement for her friend. A smirk crosses her face. Aaron’s mirrors yours, and they’re both thinking of one particular late night on the desk a few weeks ago. “That’s good at least. I’d like to be able to sit at her desk and look her in the eye at the same time.”  
He kisses her soundly. “That would be useful.” 

She reaches for him and wiggles into the middle of the bed. “I’ll miss you.” She grins against his mouth. “I’ll miss you in that vest, too.” 

He rises fully then, removing the rest of his clothes. She lifts her arms above her head, reaching for him across the bed, looking at him upside-down. He roughly grabs her wrists and firmly tugs her closer to him. 

She finds herself quickly surrounded by him, not an inch of her skin left untouched by kisses and caresses. 

+++

When he’s finally inside her, and they breathe and kiss and laugh together, they can finally relax. She’s home, he’s home. The life they share together will be one marked with joy, with patience, with understanding. 

“I love you,” she says with a gasp as he pushes deep into her, her back arching under him. 

“There aren’t words, my love. None.” 

He pushes her to your climax with a thumb on her clit, buried deep within her. She sinks her teeth into his shoulder. He follows quickly with a few sloppy thrusts. He doesn’t move even after a few minutes, still completely blissed-out, and she laughs. 

She kisses his sweaty forehead, her fingers still tangled in his hair. “So do I get to call you Chief Hotchner when I’m mad at you now?” 

He laughs, but it’s cut short by his groan and her hitch in breath when he finally pulls out of her. He takes a moment to recover, pressing his forehead to her chest. “I think,” he says after a moment, “you can stick to Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Benjamin Hotchner, Juris Doctorate for occasions like those.”

At her giggle, he continues. 

“While a mouthful, it’s quite effective at getting my attention.” 

“I’m so glad to hear that. I would hate to know I’m losing my touch.”

They tuck themselves neatly under the covers, not bothering to clean up. It’s laundry day tomorrow, after all. When she curls against his chest, he covers her hand where it rests over his heart. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed it! thank you so much for reading, and leave a comment or a kudos if you'd like. drop a request on my tumblr [here](laughingloki.co.vu/ask)!
> 
> xo,  
> tali


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> the wedding

The wedding approached faster than anyone thought possible.

The deep, cleansing breath Y/N takes as she stands at the top of Dave’s gorgeous staircase certainly doesn’t feel all that deep or all that cleansing. She holds tight to Derek’s arm like a lifeline, gripping the fabric of his black button-up.

Jack is a few steps in front of her, carrying the rings. He looks up at her, and she winks at him, trying to hide her nerves

“You okay, sweetness?” Derek pats her hand where it rests in the crook of his elbow.

She nods briskly, smoothing a hand down the front of her dress. It’s a stunning garment – heavy silk hangs off her shoulders in layers down to the floor. It frames her figure perfectly – she is only five or so months along, but there is definitely a pronounced swell that hadn’t been there a few weeks prior.

“Just a little nervous Aaron won’t be there when I get down there.”

Derek snorts. “He’ll be there. He can’t outrun me and wouldn’t try.”

She smiles and kisses Derek’s cheek.

+++

In the backyard, Aaron leaned against one of the pillars framing the porch, his hands in his pockets.

“You’re better off than me, Hotch.” Will takes a sip of his beer, standing at Aaron’s side. “When JJ and I got married down here, I wasn’t sure she was gonna come back down the stairs.”

Hotch chuckles. “She’ll come down eventually, just like JJ. Of that I am certain.” He looks over at JJ, sitting beside Spencer with Henry in her lap. She looks up and grins at Hotch, giving him a thumbs up. He smiles back at her.

Dave walks over to Emily and hands her a glass of wine. “How lucky we are to be among family.”

Aaron rolls his eyes. “Dave, now is not the time for a sermon.”

“No, it’s not,” Dave replies, pointing at Aaron with his cigar. “I’m saving it for dinner so I don’t steal Penelope’s thunder.”

Garcia, under the arch with her script in-hand, winks at him.

+++

Jack steps up the stairs and takes Y/N’s other hand. “Are you ready?” He asks.

She nods, leaning down to kiss the top his head. “Yeah, love. I’m ready.” She looks at Derek, who looks back at her with a gentleness in his eyes. “Please don’t let me fall.”

He kisses her forehead. “Never, never, never.”

There are lots of kisses going around, but it’s just one of those days.

Derek pulls her close. Jack’s hand rests in hers as they slowly descend the stairs.

When Aaron comes into view, under the canopy of lights and surrounded by their family, tears spring into Y/N’s eyes. She swallows, and Derek holds her tighter. Jack still holds onto her hand, the rings locked in his other fist.

Aaron’s face breaks out into a smile, and they’re both grinning at each other like idiots by the time the four of them are standing together.

Derek kisses her cheek and places her hand in Aaron’s. Derek steps back behind Dave, taking Jack with him and keeping a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Penelope begins then, welcoming their family to “this ridiculously exciting and long-overdue event.”

Y/N and Aaron can only smile at each other until it’s time for them to read their lines.

“...in sickness and in health.”

“...for richer or for poorer.”

“...in the field and at home.”

“I do.”

“I do.”

Penelope nods at Y/N, and she beckons Jack forward. Jack hands the rings up to Derek, who drops them safely in his pocket.

When Jack reaches the space between her and Aaron, she drops to one knee, holding her hands out. He places his hands in hers, and she grips them tight.

His brown eyes look into hers, and it's like they’re looking _through_ each other rather than at each other. She knows she’ll never take those eyes for granted – whether in the face of her stepson, her husband, or any other children they have.

“Jonathan Hotchner, I may not have given you the gift of life, but life sure did give me the gift of you.” When he smiles, some tears escape Y/N’s eyes, falling onto the ground at her feet. She only halfway processes Aaron’s hand coming to rest on Jack’s shoulder as she continues. “I promise to be by your side through all your triumphs and sorrows. I can’t promise I’ll always do the right thing or say the right thing, but I can promise to love you with all my heart, every day, forever.”

Her vows to Jack were short, but they’d taken her forever to write. She’d spent hours sitting at Aaron’s desk in the new den, pen in her hand, lit only by the warm yellow desk lamp.

_“What are you working on in here?” Aaron came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder._

_“It’s a secret.” Nevertheless, she made no attempt to cover her project, and she waited as he skimmed through her scribbles and revisions. Three sentences._ I need to give my stepson better than three sentences. _What else was there to say to the most important child in her life?_

_“Are you writing vows for Jack?”_

_Y/N nodded and twisted in her chair. “I won’t do it if you think it's dumb or –“_

_She was interrupted by a firm, almost desperate, kiss. “It’s a great idea. He’ll love it.”_

Jack jumps into her arms and Aaron snags her arm as she’s thrown off balance. White dress be damned, she sits on the cold stone of the patio with Jack more than halfway in her lap.

“I’m glad you’re my momma.” He says it so quietly she almost missed it.

_“What should Jack call me after we’re married? I’m not sure I want him to call me by my first name anymore, but I also don’t think I should be Mom, for Haley’s sake.”_

_Aaron sighed, tightening his arms around her. It’s nearly midnight, and the darkness is like a blanket cast over the bedroom. Aaron’s such a finicky sleeper – requiring total darkness – that with the curtains drawn, she could barely see him. “You are and will be the closest thing he has to a mother. Don’t worry about replacing Haley. Do you have any preliminary ideas?”_

_“I’m thinking momma, or even something in another language. In Hebrew, mother is Ima, or the Polish Matka, that kind of thing.”_

_He was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I really like momma for you.”_

_She shifts to kiss his bare shoulder. It’s a silent thanks._

Aaron’s crying now, as is Dave, JJ, and Penelope. Derek is barely keeping it together, and Emily passes tissues with one hand while the other is wrapped in Spencer’s. They’re all together, safe and sound.

Y/N is openly weeping, one hand stroking Jack’s hair and the other rubbing back and forth between his shoulder blades.

“I love you so much, baby. So so much.”

She looks up over Jack’s shoulder to Aaron, who offers her a hand. She takes it and rises, keeping a hand on Jack. Both she and Aaron take a big breath and wipe their eyes.

Derek passes the rings to Aaron, who passes them to Jack.

Jack slips one of the rings on his father’s finger – a simple silver band with four small diamonds. Aaron presses a kiss to his son’s head and turns him gently by the shoulders to face Y/N once more.

When she holds her hand out, Jack slips the silver ring and twists it so it locks in with her engagement ring. Together, the rings create an intertwined diamond setting. The insides of the bands have all of their initials in raised letters on it, designed to leave an indent in the skin whenever the ring is removed. They designed the rings as a family, making it all the more special.

“By the power vested in me by the great state of Virginia, and the internet, I now pronounce you married!” Penelope bounces on her toes and grins.

Aaron raises an eyebrow at her, and she laughs.

“Oh my god just kiss her already.”

Aaron takes Y/N’s face between his hands and presses a sweet, chaste kiss to her lips. Their family whoops and hollers around them. His hands fall to her abdomen and rest protectively around her. When they part, they press their foreheads together, eyes closed. She brings Jack close to her and they stand there as a unit for a moment, basking in the joy of the moment.

+++

Their first dance as a couple is slow and quiet. They hardly move, just shifting back and forth together, only loosely connected to the music. Pair by pair, their family joins them on the dance floor as the songs change.

Derek and Penelope are first, all at once playful and intimate. JJ and Spencer are next, but only after they hang Henry and Jack’s blazers over a chair and situate them with a soccer ball on the grass. Will abstains from the dancing for now, playing goalkeeper to Jack’s forward.

Emily and Dave join in once their wine glasses are empty. Everyone is flush with alcohol or joy or both.

Y/N has one arm looped around Aaron’s shoulder and the other wrapped in his hand over his heart. He quietly sings along to the music, his cheek pressed to her temple. She looks up and him and kisses him softly. His lips trail to the sensitive spot behind her ear and his warm breath makes her voice catch in her throat.

“I love you.”

She feels his smile against her skin. “I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh! did you like it? tell me what you think!
> 
> yes there will be a part five no I'm not sure when its gonna be here but it will! be! here!
> 
> i love you all!
> 
> xo  
> tail

**Author's Note:**

> Thank so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to send in a request or drop me a line on


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